A young mother suffered a terrifying ordeal when an armed gang forced their way into her home at gunpoint and tied her up.

Her young son was in bed in the family apartment when the gunmen broke in through the front door at 3am yesterday.

The woman was assaulted by the three-man gang as they demanded to know where cash was kept in her home.

They continued to threaten her for more than an hour as they tied her up and searched the apartment.

The aggravated burglary happened at her apartment in the Market Square in Longford town.

The young mother was injured by the gang, one of whom threatened her with a firearm.

The gang finally left with a quantity of cash, believed to be a few thousand euro.

The traumatised mother received medical treatment from a doctor following the incident. Her young son was uninjured by the gang.

Gardaí in Longford have set up an incident room to investigate the crime and have appealed for help from the public.

"At approximately 3am this morning, a number of men gained entry to an apartment in Market Square, Longford," a Garda spokesman said.

"The apartment was occupied by a woman and her young son at the time of the burglary. The woman was assaulted during the incident and her son was uninjured.

"The scene was preserved and technically examined. An incident room has been established at Longford Garda Station and investigations are ongoing." Local Fianna Fáil councillor Seamus Butler said he was shocked that a young mother could be targeted in her home.

"The community are deeply shocked by this attack on a young mother in her home," he said.

"It's terrible that such a crime could happen in our midst.

"The fact that this young mother was vulnerable and alone with her young child when she was attacked makes it all the worse.

"I hope the perpetrators are caught soon. It's time these bullyboys were stopped.

"A woman's home should be a safe place."

Gardaí appealed for witnesses or anyone who may have been in the Market Square area of Longford town between 2am and 6am to contact them at Longford Garda Station on 043 3350570, the Garda Confidential Line or any garda station.

Horrific

Meanwhile, gardaí are hunting a sex attacker after a man broke into a young woman's apartment in Co Donegal and assaulted her.

The woman, who is in her 20s, was attacked in the apartment complex in the centre of Letterkenny.

The man broke into the apartment, carried out the horrific sex attack, and then fled minutes later.

The incident happened on Sunday last between 4am and 5am.

Gardaí confirmed they preserved the scene and their investigation is ongoing.

They have also been trawling through hours of CCTV footage in a bid to identify possible suspects.